Does Self‐Compassion Moderate the Relationship Between Emotional Problems and Non‐Suicidal Self‐Injury in Adolescence? A Moderated Network Analysis

BACKGROUND: Emotional problems are a key risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents, and self-compassion may serve as a protective factor. However, how the components of self-compassion uniquely influence the relationship between emotional problems and NSSI remains unclear. METHOD: A total of 728 middle school students (M age = 13.47, SD = 0.91; 59.8% male) completed self-report measures on emotional problems (e.g., emotional symptoms, psychological pain, emotion regulation difficulties, and alexithymia), self-compassion, and NSSI. Regular network analysis was used, with Bridge Expected Influence (BEI) as an indicator of the strength of the association between emotional problems and NSSI. The moderating effects of self-compassion and its sub-components (self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness) were examined using Moderated Network Models (MNMs). RESULTS: Regular network analysis indicated that psychological pain was the emotional problem most strongly associated with NSSI. MNMs showed that self-compassion moderated the relationships between emotional problems (difficulties in emotion regulation, difficulties in describing feelings, and psychological pain) and NSSI. The sub-components of self-compassion had different effects: self-kindness functioned similarly to total self-compassion, common humanity acted more as a mediator, and only mindfulness moderated the direct association between psychological pain and NSSI. CONCLUSION: Adolescents with emotional problems who engage in NSSI may benefit from interventions targeting psychological pain or mindfulness-based approaches.